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Softwood may not last as long as hardwood, but it burns hotter and more intense. 70% of what we use is spruce and pine, but we use what we have access to. Season the wood properly and keep the air valve on the door open so the fire gets the air it needs. Throw in wet potatoe peel from time to time, it helps prevent and remove soot buildup in the chimney.

We burn 20-30 m3 of firewood each year and 70% of that is softwood.

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Burning unseasoned wood of any description causes a tar build up. Nothing to do with the type of wood. Just had the flue swept after two years of burning old fence posts, conifer, pallet wood etc. The sweep guy commented that i must be burning the right type of wood as he got hardly any soot out!

It would also be useful if firewood suppliers were educated in to what a softwood is, compared to hardwood! Some are pretty useless in tellimg the difference!

But stove suppliers are also to blame. The crowd i brought mine from told me if i get caught burning conifer, the council will serve an injunction on me!

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Softwood may not last as long as hardwood, but it burns hotter and more intense. 70% of what we use is spruce and pine, but we use what we have access to. Season the wood properly and keep the air valve on the door open so the fire gets the air it needs. Throw in wet potatoe peel from time to time, it helps prevent and remove soot buildup in the chimney.

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